Sheridan Invitational 2026

Sheridan Invitational – Race Report

We hosted our second Nordic race in Sheridan High School history this past weekend (2/13-2/14), and it was an incredible success. The atmosphere was energetic, welcoming, and genuinely fun—thanks in large part to our outstanding volunteers and what may have been the most enthusiastic crowd we’ve seen in our four-year program history. Sunshine, good snow, and pleasant temperatures certainly helped set the stage.

Hosting Challenges

From an organizational standpoint, we continue to face several structural limitations at our venue:

(1) A lack of race-site bus and spectator parking.

(2) No accessible warm-up trails without athletes skiing portions of the race course against race direction.

(3) Two-way traffic on Bearcat, which presents safety concerns and prevents us from using interval starts.

Without adding a new connector trail from the upper south side to the meadow, we are unable to apply for inclusion in the State meet hosting rotation.

Friday: Classic Team Relay

Despite these challenges, Friday’s two-person classic relay was a fantastic event. Each team alternated legs on a 2 km meadow loop (A–B–A–B finish).

Kelly Walsh’s top team won the event and secured the overall boys competition. Sheridan’s Abe Hughes and Kade Shideman delivered a stellar performance to place second. In his opening leg, Abe even entered the exchange zone ahead of Everett Roberson, currently ranked #7 nationally in U18 competition.

Additional Sheridan results included:

Gabe Aasby and Andre Wei – 8th place
Eric Venn and Luke Schreiber – 22nd place

These results secured an excellent 2nd-place overall finish for Sheridan High School in the boys competition.

In the varsity girls race, the Alicke sisters won the relay in a tightly contested battle with Lander. Cody’s Raina and Sadie Wachob finished third. Sheridan’s Brynn Kirol and Clara Murray placed 16th as the second Sheridan team.

In the JV race, Wyatt Balius and Sean Olson led Sheridan to a strong 3rd-place finish.

Saturday: Skate Distance Races

Saturday featured a 7 km skate race for varsity athletes and a 5 km race for JV skiers—an event we had eagerly anticipated after being forced to cancel in January 2025 due to a snowstorm.

The course proved extremely challenging and scenic. Athletes started at the warming hut in a mass start, skied toward the trailhead, climbed Bearcat, completed the largest southern loop counterclockwise, descended Bearcat at speed, and finished with a final meadow loop. It is one of the most beautiful courses in the state, but its sustained climbs and technical descents demand strength and focus.

Varsity Girls

Kayley led much of the race, closely followed by Olivia Tolson, Raina Wachob, and Macey Alicke. On a gentle downhill in the meadow, Olivia and Raina moved past Kayley. Kayley fought back to reclaim second, while Olivia secured the win. Macey, skiing consistently in fourth, closed rapidly near the finish and nearly caught Raina; the final results placed Raina 3rd and Macey 4th.

Brynn Kirol had a strong performance, finishing 16th with a well-earned smile, while Clara Murray placed 37th. Ella unfortunately was unable to start. It was an emotional moment realizing this marked the final Sheridan home race for seniors Brynn, Clara, Ella, and Kayley.

Varsity Boys

The boys race was set up to be a showdown between Darin Binning and Everett Roberson. Darin led early, with Everett close behind until Everett lost his footing in a turn into Fidos, crashed, and injured his hand. Impressively, Everett continued to race and still finished 2nd overall, while Darin claimed victory with a decisive lead. Kelly Walsh’s Austin Thomas placed 3rd.

Sheridan results included:

Kade Shideman – 4th (winning a close battle for 4th of Jackson's Charlie von Maur-Newcomb)
Abe Hughes – 6th
Gabe Aasby – 14th
Andre – 23rd
Luke – 27th
Eric – 42nd
Wyatt – 48th

Sheridan placed 2nd overall as a team, behind Kelly Walsh and ahead of Pinedale—an excellent showing.

JV Boys

The JV skiers faced the same demanding Bearcat climb. Sean Olson led Sheridan, finishing 14th and notably ahead of Laramie's Max Forman, a Sheridan skier in years past. Connor, Colton, and Edward rounded out the Sheridan results, each demonstrating meaningful progress through consistent hard work this year. We are truly proud of them and their accomplishments.

Coaches Sprint (Fan Favorite!)

One surprise highlight was a coaches sprint race. Former collegiate racer and Jackson head coach Andrew Siegel dominated the field. Sheridan alum Justin McDowell, now back supporting the program, finished 2nd. Natrona head coach Justin Kinner—better known as a 100 m running specialist—took 3rd. Coach Alicke placed 4th after reaching full exhaustion, gaining renewed respect for what athletes endure week after week. Coach Kirol proudly rounded out Sheridan’s representation.

Gratitude

We extend our deepest appreciation to every volunteer who made this event possible. A special thank-you goes to Black Mountain Nordic Club for their exceptional grooming and for shuttling people and equipment in and out of the venue. We are also grateful to the Forest Service and WYDOT for permitting and setting up road alerts, and to the Sheriff’s Department for providing reliable communication equipment in a challenging mountain environment.

Finally, a heartfelt thanks to Libby Alicke, the Aasby family, and the Kirol family for the countless hours—days and nights—spent preparing this event.

This weekend was a celebration of community, perseverance, and the growth of Nordic skiing in Sheridan. We could not be prouder.

Team Results

Saturday Skate Race - Varsity Boys:

Kelly Walsh 87

Sheridan 81

Pinedale 77

Lander 68

Jackson 67

Laramie 58

Natrona 27

Cody 0

Saturday Skate Race - Varsity Girls: